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Ecology of the Interior Population of Double-Crested Cormorants: Prevalence of Disease and Colony Attendance

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Ecology of the Interior Population of Double-Crested Cormorants: Prevalence of Disease and Colony Attendance ECOLOGY OF THE INTERIOR POPULATION OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS: PREVALENCE OF DISEASE AND COLONY ATTENDANCE By Tiffanie A. Cross A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Fisheries and Wildlife – Master of Science 2013 ABSTRACT ECOLOGY OF THE INTERIOR POPULATION OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS: PREVALENCE OF DISEASE AND COLONY ATTENDANCE By Tiffanie A. Cross The interior population of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) nesting on the Great Lakes were nearly listed on the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s. With protection from persecution, banning of DDT, and increased prey availability on breeding and wintering grounds, e.g. invasive species introductions and catfish aquaculture, the cormorant population in the Great Lakes basin has risen to 1.4 million birds of which there are more than 100,000 breeding pairs. Consequently, cormorants are involved in human-wildlife conflicts involving impacts to fisheries, vegetation destruction, and perhaps most importantly disease spread to poultry. Despite their large population, knowledge of intercolonial movements and connectivity of cormorant colonies is lacking. Likewise, whether cormorants are reservoirs for disease has yet to be confirmed. In my first chapter, I surveyed the interior population of double-crested cormorants for exposure to and current infection of APMV-1 and AIV. This study supports the idea that cormorants are a reservoir for APMV-1, but are not important in the spread of AIV. In my second and final chapter, I explored the connectivity of cormorant colonies and general attendance patterns of cormorants nesting in the North Channel of Lake Huron near Blind River, Ontario. The level of colony connectivity has implications for effectively managing cormorant populations and understanding how disease is spread and maintained. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am greatly indebted to my advisor and mentor, Dr. Jen Owen, for her guidance and support throughout my field research and the writing of my thesis. Her words of encouragement kept me working toward my goal even when the odds seemed stacked against me. Tommy King, my co-advisor, supported me with endless words of advice and taught me most of what I know about cormies. He also showed me my first wild black bear. Dr. Dan Hayes advised me on the analysis of my research. I am thankful for the MSU faculty and staff, and my peers for their support of my efforts as a scientist and an educator. I could not have completed my thesis without the help and support of my amazing husband, Byron, and my entire family. Mom, Tom, Dad, Joyce, Lindsey, Jason, Peter, Cindy, and Grandma and Grandpa Samo, thank you for your relentless encouragement, patience, and forgiveness. Steve Elliott, my boat captain, took me near and far on Lakes Ontario and Huron, and his wife Jan Elliott and spaniel, Pepper, kept Shadow company while I was away on the colonies. Steve and Jan always made sure I was well fed and had a warm place to rest my head at night. Chip Weseloh and Dave Moore at Environment Canada were indispensable in their field and logistical support. Jim McNulty, Scott Lockhart, OMNR Junior Rangers and others at Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided assistance in accessing cormorant colonies, and help in capturing and sampling cormorants in the Lake of the Woods. Mike Meeker and his wife provided access to their aquaculture facility and generously shared their home with me. Paul Fioranelli, Scott Lemmons, Fred Cunningham, Dave Marks, and Tony Aderman at USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, and Erik Olsen at Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa iii Indians provided technical and logistical support in the field. Dusty Arsnoe, Chelsea Barattini, Susan Elbin and the NY Audubon Society, Emily Johnston, Brett Muter, Ayaka Nakamura, Sarah Privett, Nate Spala and many other people helped with capturing, sampling, tagging, and banding cormorants throughout Ontario, as well as lab work. Invaluable laboratory services were provided by Jeff Landgraf, Jan Pedersen, and Annabel Wise. Thank you to all whom helped me along my journey of achieving my Master’s degree; I couldn’t have done it alone. My thesis research was funded by the Berryman Institute and MSU Rachana Rajendra Fellowship. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1 PREVALENCE OF AVIAN PARAMYXOVIRUS 1 AND AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS IN DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA ..............................1 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1 MATERIALS AND METHODS ...............................................................................................3 Study Sites ...........................................................................................................................3 Capture Techniques .............................................................................................................4 Sample Collection ................................................................................................................5 Serology ...............................................................................................................................6 Virology ...............................................................................................................................7 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................7 Serology ...............................................................................................................................8 Virology ...............................................................................................................................8 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................9 APPENDIX ..............................................................................................................................16 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................19 CHAPTER 2 COLONY VISITS, ATTENDANCE PATTERNS AND FACTORS INFLUENCING COLONY ATTENDANCE OF BREEDING DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS IN THE NORTH CHANNEL OF LAKE HURON ...................................................................................................25 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................25 MATERIALS AND METHODS .............................................................................................28 Study Sites .........................................................................................................................28 Capture and Transmitter Attachment .................................................................................28 Data-logging Stations.........................................................................................................29 Data Management ..............................................................................................................30 Statistical Model ................................................................................................................31 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................32 Colony Visits .....................................................................................................................32 GLMM 1 ............................................................................................................................33 Nesting Colony ............................................................................................................33 Breeding Stage .............................................................................................................33 v Sex................................................................................................................................34 Moon Phase ..................................................................................................................34 GLMM 2 ............................................................................................................................35 Moon Phase ..................................................................................................................35 Sky Conditions .............................................................................................................35 Site Fidelity ........................................................................................................................35 DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................................................36 APPENDIX ..............................................................................................................................44 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................62 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Seroprevalence of avian paramyxovirus-1
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